It’s no secret that Dia Mirza is undoubtedly an eco all-star. As the UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador, UNEP Ambassador and United Nations Secretary-General Advocate for Sustainable Development Goals, Mirza has been hard at work fighting global warming, conserving biodiversity, and helping spread awareness on the environmental impact of urban living. In 2018, the actor-producer became a public proponent to eliminate plastic pollution, which led to the historic declaration by Prime Minister Modi to eliminate single-use plastic from India by 2022.
The global pandemic has only strengthened her resolve to educate more people. She says, “We have had an opportunity to discover the effect of reducing pressure on the environment. We have to build economies that don’t come at the cost of ecology.” This change can begin at a personal level too. Mirza continues, “The idea is to find ways to contribute to the environment within your limits.” Here’s how she is making a move to a cleaner, greener lifestyle…
■ “Change your diet. Eat local, and shop from local vendors or from the farmers’ market, where a large part of the produce is from a sustainable farm. I also avoid buying fruits and vegetables that are packed in Styrofoam or plastic.”
■ “Replace personal hygiene products with sustainable options. Toothbrushes, ear buds and toilet paper can be swapped with a bamboo version—Bamboo India (bambooindia.com) and Beco (letsbeco.com) have great alternatives. Sanitary napkins are made mostly of plastic; I switched to biodegradable options almost five years ago.”
■ “Look out for toothpaste, soaps, shampoos that aren’t packed in plastic. There are some wonderful shampoo and conditioner bars.”
■ “A quick tip to save water is to limit the time you spend in the shower. My trick is to finish within one music track.”
■ “I’ve been travelling with my own metal bottle since five years. Recently, I’ve started refusing packaged beverage or food, and carry my own packed meals when possible. My family and I also avoid take-out meals as much as possible because the plastic containers aren’t always sustainable.”
■ “Carrying your own shopping bag will reduce plastic waste. I always have a folded cloth bag in my handbag and my family follows the same rule as well. Helping everyone at home give up on using plastic bags and single-use plastic items was probably one of my biggest challenges.”
■ “Instead of giving people flowers and presents on their birthday and anniversary, I plant trees on their behalf. There’s a company called Grow-trees.com that employs locals to plant trees around the country. You get a certificate and a tracking number to see how your tree is doing. We’ve managed to plant 3,000 trees over the years—it’s kind of a lifelong present you can keep revisiting.”
■ “Waste segregation is a wonderful way to contribute—it makes our air and water cleaner.” “The key is to reduce consumption and not be a hoarder. I’ve simplified my life and only buy things that I really like—I ensure I take care of them so they last longer.”
